Transcript The United Nations’ MDG Strategy

UNDP RBA Workshop on
MDG-Based
National Development Strategies
Module 6:
MDG-based Environmental Strategies
UN Millennium Project
February 27-March 3, 2006
The MDGs and the Environment
Goal 7:
Ensure environmental sustainability
Target 9:
Integrate the principles of sustainable development into
country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of
environmental resources
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MDG 7 provides no clear operational objectives
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The Challenge of Sustainable Development
Ensuring environmental sustainability poses
operational challenges
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Need for context-specific responses
Management of trade-offs across all sectors
Integration across different disciplines and actors
Country-specific institutional arrangements
International cooperation is sometimes needed
Operational responses have been hampered by:
Poor integration into national development strategies
2. Absence of operational outcome objectives
3. Neglect of direct investments in environmental management
4. Weak links between strategies and national budgets
5. Human resource and financial constraints compounded by weak
environmental institutions
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A Needs-based Approach to
Environmental Sustainability
1. Define priority areas
2. Specify outcome targets
3. Identify direct and indirect drivers
4. Identify needed interventions and policy
reforms
5. Estimate resource needs
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The Process of Preparing a
Needs-based Environmental Strategy
The importance of politics
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Environmental objectives can only by achieved through
coordinated and integrated strategies across key sectors
Trade-offs exist and need to be carefully managed
Choice of environment objectives and strategies requires
high-level political decisions
A possible process
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Technical environment working group proposes long-term
environment objectives and outlines strategies for achieving
them
Objectives and strategies are reviewed and become binding
through high-level political approval
Environment working group reviews sectoral strategies to see
if they are consistent with environment objectives
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Step 1: Identify Priority Areas
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Extent of environmental degradation and impact on human wellbeing documented by 2005 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Examples for priority areas include:
Land degradation
Salination, waterlogging, desertification,
erosion, deforestation
Marine/coastal degradation
Coral bleaching, eutrophication, fisheries
depletion, destruction of mangroves
Freshwater degradation
Solid waste / air pollution
Biodiversity
Pollution, eutrophication, overabstraction,
falling groundwater tables, saltwater intrusion
Solid waste, particulates, NOx, SOx, POPs
Alien invasive species, habitat loss,
overexploitation
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Step 2: Specify Outcome Targets
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Outcome targets are time-bound, measurable, and include interim
milestones – they differ from process targets
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Science can inform choice of targets but does not obviate need for
political decision
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Targets must be set as national objectives to be achieved by all
sector strategies
Step 3:
Identify Drivers
Step 3: Identify
Drivers
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MDG strategies act on direct and indirect drivers of environmental
degradation
 Drivers need to be carefully analyzed and understood
Step 3: Identify drivers
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Step 4: Identify Interventions and
Policy Reforms
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For each driver identify the investments and policies
required to achieve the outcome targets set in Step 2
Every investment needs coverage targets
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Example: Land degradation
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– Investments in prevention & adaptation to climate change, e.g.
Agricultural extension services
Development and dissemination of improved crops
Infrastructure to prevent erosion (check bunds, wind breaks, terracing)
Infrastructure for improved water management (drip irrigation)
– Investments in rehabilitation, e.g.
Reforestation, drainage, desalination
– Accompanying policy changes, e.g.
– Review of land tenure system
Review of irrigation tariffs and subsidies
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Step 5: Estimate Needed Resources
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Develop an investment model quantifying human
resources, infrastructure, and financial resources
required to meet outcome objectives
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Compare interventions with other investment clusters
to avoid double counting
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Specify items not covered in the Needs Assessment
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Identify drivers not fully addressed by environment
needs assessment
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Ensure inclusion in other sectors’ needs assessments
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One Important Aspect of Sustainability:
Disaster Risk Management
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Reduce vulnerability of target populations.
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Natural disasters can derail poverty reduction strategies.
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Managing risks to minimize socioeconomic impacts
ought to be explicitly incorporated into the NEGDS,
PRSPs.
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Investments on prevention, early warning and
preparedness are key considerations to avoid
catastrophes.
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